Method and means for forming blast-holes in sulfur stock piles



Feb. 2l, 1950 A. F. ZEMANEK ET AL METHOD AND MEANS FOR FORMING BLAST HOLES IN SULFUR STOCKPILES Filed Aug. 5,1946

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QVIIIIHII IIHHll PII NUI! HIIIIIHIIU Patented Feb. 2l, 1950 METHOD AND MEANS FOR FORMIN G BLAST- HOLES IN SULFUR STOCK PILES Arnold F. Zemanek and AHerbert E. Treichler,

Newgulf, Tex., assignors to Texas Gulf Sulphur Company, Newgulf, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application August 5, 1946, Serial No. 688,585

, The invention relates to a means and method y( of forming blast holes in sulphur stockpiles.

In the mining of sulphur, the crystalline sulphur deposits in the earth formations are melted usually with steam or hot water, and the sulphur raised to the surface in liquid form of approximately the consistency of water.

It is most often desirable to store the sulphur until it is to be sold and the practice is to deposit itin layer upon layer within a retaining wall until an enormous block or stockpile of sul- -phur is formed. These blocks usually approximate three-hundred to five hundred feet in width and live hundred to twelve hundred feet It is one of the objects of the invention to provide anipple which is of a size of the desired blast hole and of a length which may be readily moved step by step as the stockpile is built so as to form a hole in the sulphur which results 'in a continuous blast hole from the top tothe bottom of the sulphur pile when the pile is completed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vnipple vfor forming blast holes for sulphur stock- Piles.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a means and method of forming blast "holes in sulphur stockpiles and toprovide a detonation chamber adjacent the base of the blast hole.

Other and further objects of the invention will be readily apparent when the following description is considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a, sulphur stockpile which has been created in accordance with the present invention:

Fig.V 2 shows one of the blast hole forming nipples in position with a box-like member about it to create a detonation chamber in the stockpile:

Fig. 3 shows one of the nipples chucked in the stockpile which has already been formed so as to create a continuation of the blast hole as the `of one of the blast holes 3 seen in Fig. l.

6 Claims. (Cl. 18V-4.5)

2 nipple is moved step by step upwardly upon creation of the stockpile. y

In Fig. 1 the block 2 represents a stockpile'of sulphur and having a plurality of blast holes 3 .arranged therein. These blast holes are shown as extending from the top to the bottom of the block of sulphur and each blast hole is arranged to receive a charge of explosive to be set 01T in blasting off a portion ofthe pile.

In Fig. 2 the surface 4 is the surface on which the stockpile 2'is to be built and the nipple' is in the form of a cylindrical body portion 5' and a lower tapered portion 6. These two portions merge at 'I as a continuous nipple or pipe.` In actual use, the body portion 5 will be about three and one-half inches in diameter, vand the total length of the`v nipple will approximate four feet. The lower end may be closed with a partitionv 8, or it may be opened as desired.

The nipple will be inserted'into the surface 4 a short distance so that it will stand erect and the liquid 'sulphur then depositedon thesurface 4 in shallow layers an inch or two in thickness. The sulphursoon solidies and thenl an additional layer will be deposited until the block of sulphur is built up to a thickness approximating the tapered length of the nipple. The nipple is made of aluminum and the sulphur does not bond therewith so-that the nipple. may be readily loosened and elevated to a position shown in Fig. 3, where they body of sulphur I0 has the hole H formed` therein which is an increment The tapered portion 6 facilitates to some extent the raising of the nipple, and it is desirable now to support the nipple in such raised position. lThe liquid sulphur congealsl gradually and a small amount I2 of liquid sulphur in partiallyV congealed form can be readily placed around the nipple 5 so as to'chuck it in position and prevent its dropping down into the hole I I. The additional layers of sulphur are now deposited, and these operations repeated time after time until a pile fifty or sixty feet in height is formed. The increments II of the hole when added together provide the `blast hole 3.

In some instances it may be desirable to form a detonation chamber about the base of the blast Ahole and Fig. 2 shows a box-like member I5 arranged around the nipple and having a lid or cover I6 thereon. This member I5 may be of combustible material such as paper,and a section of ordinary" mailing tube say eight inches in diametermay be used. When the detonation occurs,`the fiber material will be consumed.

While the nipples haveA been described as of aluminum, it is preferable that they may be made of a material having a higher coeicient of eX- pansion than sulphur so that upon cooling it will shrink away. from the sulphur. The material should not .corrode when in contact with sulphur.

Broadly the invention contemplates a means and method of preforming blast holes in sulphur stockpiles as the stockpile is completed.

The invention claimed is:

1. A nipple for the form-ing of blast holes in Va sulphur stockpile comprising a tubular section approximating the diameterof :the -blast charge, a tapered section joining ,one end thereof, said nipple to be positioned Where a llolas-t'hole v`is to be provided in the stockpile so that as the moltenV sulphur is deposited therearound and whereupon the nipple may be progressively raised step by step ras the sulphur of the stockpile solidii'les .whereby there is formed a continuous hole in the sulphur, anda closure wall at the lowerr end A-1 .of fsaid tapered section to excludesulphur.

.2. A .method `of progressively forming a plural- ,l ity pf y.blast holes in a sulphur .stockpile which. comprises positioning a plurality of relatively rshort .hollow partially tapered nipples in the .stockpile .area one at each location where a blast hole is desired, Yprogressively depositing layer nipple lto Ileav'erthei'thus pre-formed 'blast holes in the pile. f' l 3; Amethod of progressively forming a plural- "ity vof blast holes in a sulphur stockpile which comprises positioning a plurality of hollow nipples I in the stockpile area one at each location Where Vablasthole is desired, arranging abox-like memb er abouteach nipple to fonm a detonation` chamber,` depositing layer upon layer vof sulphur in liql' uid form about the area and around the nipples until the body of sulpl'iur thus formed approaches' the top of the tapered portion of the nipples, then ,raising the nipples and chucking them in raised position with congealing sulphur, depositing additionallayers of sulphur, continuing such opera- Vtion until the stockpile is completed, and remov-v in g the nipple t leave 'the blast holes in the pile.

.4. ,A method. of progressively `forming a plurality `of blast 'holes in a sulphur stockpile which A comprises; positioning a plurality of hollow nip-l ples in the stockpile area one at each location Where a blast hole is desired, arranging a boxlike member of combustible material about each nipple to form a detonation chamber, depositing layer upon layer of sulphur in liquid form about the area and around the nipples until the body -of sulphur thus iormeda'pproaches the top of the nipples, then raising the nipples and chucking .them in raised position with congealing sulphur, depositing additional layers of sulphur, continuing v.such operation until the stockpile is comcomprises, arranging a pre-formed pattern Ior blast hole nipples, depositing a 'layer of vmolten sulphur about such predetermined pattern of blast holenipples, allowing :the sulphur t-o solidify, periodically 'depositing and .allowing solidiflcation of the sulphur until the surface approachesthe Atop of the nipples, raising the nipples in thesolid sulphur, positioning the vnipples in such raised I position, and 'repeating such voperationslmtil the stockpile is formedso asl to provide a plurality *of Icontinuous blast'holes in the stockpile tore- REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences .are of record in the le vof this patent;

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 'Name Date 1,146,477 Duryee et al. July .13, 1915 1,275,912 yI-Iarrling Aug. 13, 1918 1,454,344 Stewart' May 8J 19.23 1,506,062 Henker Aug. 26, 1924 1,533,213 .Schwab. Apr. 14, 1925 1,563,808 Wagenhorst Dec. 1 `1925 1,628,752 .sproul et al. May rr, 1927 1,761,568' Kersten June L3, ..1930 2,384,056 Tritt Sept. 4., 1945 FOREIGN PAIEtl'iISV Number Country Date 549,556 

1. A NIPPLE FOR THE FORMING OF BLAST HOLES IN A SULPHUR STOCKPILE COMPRISING A TUBULAR SECTION APPROXIMATING THE DIAMETER OF THE BLAST CHARGE, A TAPERED SECTION JOINING ONE END THEREOF, SAID NIPPLE TO BE POSITIONED WHERE A BLAST HOLE IS TO BE PROVIDED IN THE STOCKPILE SO THAT AS THE MOLTEN SULPHUR IS DEPOSITED THEREAROUND AND WHEREUPON THE NIPPLE MAY BE PROGRESSIVELY RAISED STEP BY STEP AS THE SULPHUR OF THE STOCKPILE SOLIDIFIES WHEREBY THERE IS FORMED A CONTINUOUS HOLE IN THE SULPHUR, AND A CLOSURE WALL AT THE LOWER END OF SAID TAPERED SECTION TO EXCLUDE SULPHUR. 